The Veil of Existence
by Jaz Ronin
Summary: This story has nothing to do with Harry Potter but it is the Harry Potter books that have influenced me to write it. The Veil of Existence.....


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The Veil of Existence 

People seldom look beyond the veil of their own existence, preferring to believe what they see, what they touch, that which makes their world physical, never daring to venture beyond imagination. This was the day that his understanding of the world was soon to unravel, turn and twist beyond his wildest imagination.

The day started as any other tedious Monday morning, it was a cold colourless sky that greeted Raith as he stepped out of the drab little cottage. This was where he had lived for the 20 years that his life had seemed to drag on for, as did that of the many generations of his family who had started, spent & forgone their existence in the very same abode.

The cottage resembled his life, which was plain, no expense spared or used to make it anymore than a place to provide the very basic needs for living. The walls, his body, in that it's condition had gone beyond any possible hope of repair. The roof, his concept of life, so full of holes, stopping nothing, allowing everything to pass it by remaining unchanged. The front door, his hope, that seemed to be hanging on for dear life, something it pointed out to everyone who dared to pass through it's portal, groaning at every opportunity, awaiting the final day when it would crash to earth, no longer being able to provide the service for which it was made. The windows mirrored Raith's mind, clouded, hardly being able to see beyond that that lay immediately ahead of them.

Working in the mill was not what everyone would aspire to, but it was a living, a living that took him 2 hours to get to. This morning like so many before, caused him no reason to lift his spirits, the longer he walked the heavier his feet became. Maybe it was the mud sticking to his old leather boots and soaking through the now thin barrier called his sole, more likely to be the mood he was in, dragging his feet as he walked towards what he knew would be yet another boring day.

For a moment, no it couldn't be, he thought that the dull, cloud filled sky had shown mercy on the sun & allowed a single ray through, touching him on the cheek, as if consoling him. There it was again, although his body felt cold and as heavy as the day, a strange warmth had entered his thoughts for only a moment, and again, but he was sure that he could see no light through the clouds, so where was it coming from?

Fully aware that he would be late, this sensation seemed to fill his thoughts, he stopped not daring to move. Again! On the side of his face, as if being kissed by a gentle, warm breeze, he turned his head. Most surprisingly he was now feeling it on the middle of his face, but his curiosity about the feeling ebbed away, as his attention had been drawn towards what appeared to be a small whirlwind, half way between him & the woods. "How"? He said out loud, fully aware that there was no one there to hear him, still amazed at the feeling of warmth that had now spread to his whole face.

There was something most unusual about this whirlwind, having lived in this area all his life, Raith had seen many whirlwinds, but none like this. For some reason he could not think, mesmerised by the apparition in front of him. His eyes growing wider, he moved towards it, ignoring that little voice in us all that tells you "BEWARE" but his mind did not seem to belong to him. Drawing closer, he regained his faculties, standing about 6 feet away, tilting his head to one side, curious about what was different about this particular one.

Questions began to flood his mind, how could there be warmth from it, when it was obviously a cold day? There appeared to be light dancing within it, how could that be?

Now it is changing colour, not apparent from where he was stood before, it was subtler than that wisps of silvers, golds, blues and greens; they don't change colour, do they? He couldn't be sure because he had never felt the need to get this close to one before. Why was there no sound, it was a whirlwind after all. "This is strange" again speaking out loud, this time his words carried on the air, stopping momentarily, then being caught by the whirlwind and returned to him. Amazingly, unlike when he has stood above a valley and shouted his name, just to hear his echo call back from the distance, this was not his own voice he heard returning. Although he believe was the words he had spoken, it sounded like a thousand tiny bells singing repeatedly "This is strange, this is strange" but that was not all. He noticed that a second whirlwind had evolved within the other, but it was going in the opposite direction, "Impossible" Raith stated in disbelief, again the words travelled back to him transformed, as if being spoken by someone else.

His amazement & curiosity gave way to a feeling of dread, the little voice had finally got through "BEWARE". Raith realising that he did not understand what exactly it was he was stood in front of, started to back away. The sense of fear started to grow within him because he could see that the whirlwind was moving towards him, he edged away, trying to move from one side then to another, but it mimicked his movements. Swelling up inside him his fear gained control, turning he ran, the mud on the path seemed to be trying to hold his feet down, his boots became unbelievably heavy. Filled with fear he turned, expecting to be overtaken and engulfed by it, but it was gone, vanished, no sight, no sound, no warm breeze on his face, nothing!

Spinning on his foot he ran as fast as he could, stopping for nothing until he reached the mill. The dark walls looked foreboding, towering above him like the walls of a prison. He

entered the courtyard, dark and as dirty as ever, the stench of the open sewers hanging in the air like a giant bird waiting to carry of some unsuspecting child. "And where do you think you've been"? a voice boomed out of the darkness, Raith spun around in surprise, "Well" it was Mr Edhart the foreman, "answer me boy".

Mr Edhart, of some 45 years old, regarded everyone working under him as a boy, even though Raith was a good 20 years old, "Speak boy" he shouted again. The sound of his voice reverberated around the courtyard. He moved his massive bulk towards the now quivering Raith, who had not quite recovered from his previous ordeal. Mr Edhart towered over him, his bald had glistening in the dim light. "You had better have a good explanation for not coming into work yesterday, boy"

"Yesterday!" Raith thought, "But that was Sunday, what is he talking about". "Yesterday sir", "Yes, yesterday" retorted Mr Edhart, "Where were you yesterday, are you deaf as well as stupid" . Raith stopped to think, surely it is Monday today, but why would he be so annoyed if it was, in the back of his mind he couldn't help thinking that his encounter with the whirlwind ha something to do with this. "My apologies sir, but I was not well, I will come in on Saturday to make up for the day I've lost" Raith waited for his response.

"Too right you will, think yourself fortunate that I don't give your job to someone more worthy"


End file.
